Standards-Based Learning
Power Standards
Science
Grades 9-12
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were officially adopted by Washington State in 2013. And
although they have not been fully implemented in high school science classrooms, the High School NGSS
Performance Expectations are now considered to be the science standards for grades 9- 12. Every NGSS
standard has three dimensions: disciplinary core ideas (content), scientific and engineering practices, and
cross-cutting concepts. The NGSS are goals that reflect what a student should know and be able to do—
they do not dictate the manner or methods by which the standards are taught. Therefore, curriculum and
assessment must be developed in a way that builds students’ knowledge and ability toward the
performance expectations.
℗Power Standards highlighted All standards must be taught and assessed. Power standards
identify the standards that should receive the most instructional focus.
Systems*
9-12 SYS
None for this grade band
Inquiry*
9-12 INQ
None for this grade band
Application*
9-12 APP
None for this grade band
*High School Science Power Standards have been selected from the 2013 Washington State Science
Learning Standards or Next Generation Science Standards. Because these Performance Expectations
are three-dimensional standards which incorporate systems, inquiry and application as Science and
Engineering Practices (SEPs) and Cross-Cutting Concepts (CCCs); no 9-12 science standards are listed
in this part of the document.
Physical Science
9-12 PS
Matter and Its Interactions
HS-PS1-1
Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based
on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level of atoms.
HS-PS1-2
Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction
based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and
knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.
HS-PS1-3
Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of
substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
HS-PS1-4
Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical
reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.
HS-PS1-5
Apply scientific principles and evidence to provide an explanation about the effects of
changing the temperature or concentration of the reacting particles on the rate at
which a reaction occurs.
HS-PS1-6
Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would
produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium.
HS-PS1-7
Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore
mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.
HS-PS1-8
Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom
and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
HS-PS2-1
Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the
mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and
its acceleration.
HS-PS2-2
Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a
system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.
HS-PS2-3
Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that
minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.
HS-PS2-4
Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law
to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.
HS-PS2-5
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can
produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric
current.
HS-PS2-6
Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level
structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
Energy
HS-PS3-1
Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component
in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in
and out of the system are known.
HS-PS3-2
Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be
accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles
(objects) and energy associated with the relative position of particles (objects).
HS-PS3-3
Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one
form of energy into another form of energy.
HS-PS3-4
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal
energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed
system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the
system (second law of thermodynamics).
HS-PS3-5
Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields
to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due
to the interaction
Waves and their Application in Technologies for Information Transfer
HS-PS4-1
Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among
the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media.
HS-PS4-1
Evaluate questions about the advantages of using a digital transmission and storage of
information.
HS-PS4-1
HS-PS4-1
Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic
radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model, and that for
some situations one model is more useful than the other.
Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials of the effects that
different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation have when absorbed by matter.
HS-PS4-5
Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the
principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture
information and energy.
Earth and Space Science
9-12 ES
Earth’s Place in the Universe
HS-ESS1-1
Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of
nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the
form of radiation.
HS-ESS1-2 Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of
light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.
HS-ESS1-3 Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce
elements.
HS-ESS1-4 Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting
objects in the solar system.
HS-ESS1-5 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust
and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
HS-ESS1-6 Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and
other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.
Earth’s Systems
HS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at
different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features
HS-ESS2-2
Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can
create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
HS-ESS2-3
Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter
by thermal convection.
Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s
systems result in changes in climate.
Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth
materials and surface processes.
Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the
hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.
HS-ESS2-4
HS-ESS2-5
HS-ESS2-6
HS-ESS2-7
Construct an argument based on evidence about the simultaneous coevolution of
Earth’s systems and life on Earth.
Earth and Human History
HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural
resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced
human activity.
HS-ESS3-2 Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy
and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
HS-ESS3-3 Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management
of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on
natural systems.
HS-ESS3-5 Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an
evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and
associated future impacts to Earth systems.
HS-ESS3-6 Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth
systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.
Life Science
9-12 LS
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
HS-LS1-1
HS-LS1-2
HS-LS1-3
HS-LS1-4
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines
the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems
of specialized cells.
Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting
systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms
maintain homeostasis.
Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division (mitosis) and differentiation in
producing and maintaining complex organisms.
HS-LS1-5
Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored
chemical energy.
HS-LS1-6
Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids
and/or other large carbon-based molecules.
HS-LS1-7
Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the
bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new
compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy.
Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics
HS-LS2-1
Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of
factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales
HS-LS2-2
Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on
evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of
different scales.
HS-LS2-3
Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids
and/or other large carbon-based molecules.
HS-LS2-4
Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow
of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.
HS-LS2-5
Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the
cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
HS-LS2-6
Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in
ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable
conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-LS2-7
Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on
the environment and biodiversity
HS-LS2-8
Evaluate the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species’ chances
to survive and reproduce.
Heredity: Inheritance and Variations of Traits
HS-LS3-1
Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in
coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.
HS-LS3-2
Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may
result from: (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring
during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors.
HS-LS3-3
Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of
expressed traits in a population.
Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
HS-LS4-1
Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are
supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence.
HS-LS4-2
Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily
results from four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the
heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual
reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those
organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment.
HS-LS4-3
Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that organisms
with an advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms
lacking this trait.
HS-LS4-4
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to
adaptation of populations
HS-LS4-5
Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may
result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence
of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species
HS-LS4-6
Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may
result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence
of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species
Engineering Design
9-12 ED
Engineering Design
HS-ETS1-1 Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and
constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
HS-ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller,
more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
HS-ETS1-3 Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem-based on prioritized criteria and
trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and
aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
HS-ETS1-4 Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex
real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and
between systems relevant to the problem